


4 + 1 = 1

by shuttermutt



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Fluff, Group dynamics, Other, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 11:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/609131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuttermutt/pseuds/shuttermutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times the boys get mad on Niall's behalf, one time he fights for himself, and one time they remind him he'll always be theirs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	4 + 1 = 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mockturtletale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mockturtletale/gifts).



> Set in a world without girlfriends, implied OT5 friendship/relationship (they all have their own flats but mostly spend their time in one together) some real world events mixed in with fictionalised events. Unapologetic Niall schmoop because he's my favourite and I wanted to.

1.

The thing that really bothers Liam about Niall is how much things that _should_ piss him off really _don't_. There's no rhyme or reason to Niall's reactions, as far as Liam can tell. He just goes with the flow with everything. He's so laid back it's almost painful sometimes. It makes Liam just want to _shake_ him. 

What really brings it to a head, for Liam, is when they're in the airport and Liam follows Niall to a Starbucks to get some tea and snacks for the lads. Before they even get to the line, two girls corner them, giggling and flushing and staring at them with wide eyes. Liam checks himself from sighing, because it's not fair to them. They probably didn't come to the airport just to follow them around, they just happened to be there.

Liam steps out of line, smiling politely. "Hey, how are you two doing today?" he asks, because he's _polite_ and it's the right thing to do.

One of the girls covers her face for a brief moment, red and embarrassed, but comes back up to smile at him. "Fine, thanks. How are you?"

They chat for a while, Niall standing by Liam's elbow quietly. After the girls stop giggling so much, the first one asks, "Is it okay if we get a picture with you Liam?"

"Yeah, of course, you guys want to stand between Niall and I?"

The girl looks momentarily embarrassed again. "Um. We were thinking just you?" She's already got someone next to her, holding her camera phone and looking a bit impatient.

"I'll get back in line, don't worry," Niall says softly into Liam's ear.

"Don't you dare," Liam tells him. He grins for the camera, leaning close to the girls. He holds onto Niall's shirt, yanking him into the photo when Niall tries to leave. He lets him go once the picture has been snapped. "Nice meeting you," he says to the girls, stiff even though he doesn't mean to be. Niall is already in line, staring intently up at the drinks board.

The girls walk away, talking quietly to themselves and Liam steps back in line beside Niall. They're silent until Niall gets to the counter, places the order for all their drinks. Liam doesn't say anything, so Niall orders for him, shooting him a strange look.

"You okay?" Niall asks as soon as they're walking away, drink holders in both hands. Liam's got the bags full of snacks. "You're awfully quiet."

"Doesn't it _bother_ you?" Liam asks, stopping in place and making Niall stop beside him.

"What?"

"That they wanted a photo _without_ you?"

Niall tilts his head to the side, shrugs. "No. Why should it? People are allowed their favourites."

"I just." Liam sighs. He has to reign in his anger or he'll shout and it's not Niall's fault at all. "It's not okay to ignore you like you're not an important member of this band."

"It's okay, Liam," Niall says. He's smiling as he bumps his hip against Liam's. "It's not a big deal."

It is. It _is_ a big deal. But Liam drops it, because he doesn't want to make trouble where Niall doesn't see any. They get back to everyone at the terminal and hand out drinks and food. 

Niall slouches down in his seat after everyone has thanked him, gross sugared drink in one hand, giant cookie in the other. He's got his oversized headphones on and he's bopping his head to the beat--which means he's probably listening to Bieber. Liam sits down next to him, spreads his legs out so that their knees are touching. Niall shoots him a small smile and bumps his knee in time to the music.

-

2.

Zayn understands that being in the biggest boy band in the world means that there’s a specific image they have to uphold. Clean-cut, upstanding, perfect. Even imperfections have to be a certain kind of beautiful. Zayn gets that. He knows art, he knows aesthetics. He knows what people want to look at with their bubblegum pop.

What he doesn’t understand is why Niall doesn’t question the decision made for him to get braces. He doesn’t raise any sort of argument over it, doesn’t say anything even though Zayn knows it hurts when he gets them tightened. Knows that he wakes up with a sore jaw and a bloody mouth from the wires cutting into his gums.

He learns how to eat around them, how to talk without his words slurring, how to smile without showing them too much. They’re the most inoffensive white, hard to see if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Not like the ones from school that could be seen from across the room. Niall adapts to them quickly.

The thing that makes Zayn so angry, though, is that it’s even an _issue_. Before, people always used to bring up his crooked teeth, when the rest of the boys have perfect white smiles, but it never stopped him smiling. Now, they all bring up his braces and Niall is just quiet, just shows them off when asked. He smiles with his lips covering his teeth and he hides his laughter behind his hands instead of letting it come out.

It makes Zayn see _red_. No one has the right to take away Niall’s smile, to mute it or restrict it in any way, but Niall doesn’t even seem to _care_. He just works around it like it doesn’t _matter_.

“Why’d you get the braces, then?” Zayn asks Niall one day, out of the blue.

Niall is on the couch in the lounge area of the bus, plucking at his guitar absentmindedly. He doesn’t even look up at Zayn as he asks,“What’s that, then?”

“Your teeth were fine. Why get the braces?”

Finally, Niall looks up, hand muting the strings. “Hm.” His nose scrunches up as he makes a face at Zayn, baring his teeth. “They were weird, and it was free. Dunno why I wouldn’t. Mum always thought they could do with straightening.”

Zayn makes a frustrated noise. “But they changed your _smile_.”

“Not really,” Niall says. He smiles, wide and honest. “It’s still me. Just a little better.”

There’s no real arguing with him, so Zayn just stays quiet. He does try his best to make Niall laugh a little more unselfconsciously in interviews and photoshoots after that. It feels like flipping the bird to the Powers That Be when Niall flashes his teeth.

-

3.

Louis isn’t a stranger to people mispronouncing his name. It doesn’t happen as often as it used to--in fact he hasn’t heard it in quite a while. People misspell Zayn’s name, sometimes, but even that’s happening less and less. Part of the perks of being in an internationally famous boyband, Louis figures. People have to learn your name.

So Louis doesn’t particularly feel bad for getting mad about the fact that their current interviewer keeps calling Niall _Neil_ for the whole interview, no matter how many times they call him by name to try to make the guy realise. After the fifth time, Louis starts giving shit answers, being unprofessional on purpose, because if this guy can’t take the time to do his job and learn their _names_ , why should he make it any easier on him?

Once the cameras are turned off and they’re let go, they pile into the van to take them back to the hotel. Louis takes up the whole middle row, still fuming.

“Christ, what a wanker,” he says, kicking at the back of the passenger seat, even when Paul turns around and glares at him.

“Who?” Niall asks, leaning over the divide to mess with Louis’ fringe.

Usually Louis wouldn’t tolerate it, but Niall’s had a shit time of it today, so he leaves it alone. “That guy! He kept calling you the wrong name the whole time!”

Niall laughs and ruffles Louis’ hair, completely ruining it. “Yeah, but it was kinda funny, wasn’t it?”

“Doesn’t that make you _mad_?” Louis asks, sitting up and turning to look at Niall.

He’s squished in the back row between Harry and Liam and he’s grinning. There’s nothing about him that looks like he’s upset. “What?” he asks, crossing his arms on the seat and putting his chin on them. He looks up at Louis with wide eyes. “It’s not like it’s never happened before to all of us.”

Louis frowns, wants to say something else, but Niall really _doesn’t_ look bothered by it. So instead, he says, “C’mere,” and drags Niall across the top of the seat, even when Paul starts to curse and yell at him. Niall is laughing, pretending to bat his hands away and Zayn tries to pull him back, but Louis wins, in the end.

-

4.

With the last album, there was a very specific proportion of solo time for each of them, Harry knows. With this new one, it’s gotten a bit better. Louis and Niall both have a lot more time than they did on Up All Night. Liam and Harry both take the cut happily, because they _want_ everyone to be more equally featured. Niall, especially--he has a voice made for pop, and it seems like the producers have finally caught on to that.

But they’re in the studio and Niall has sung four takes on a solo and Carl and Rami keep looking back and forth at each other, frowning. Finally, Carl turns the mic to the booth on and says, “Okay, Niall, you can stop. We’re gonna have Harry do a couple of takes.”

“Sure thing,” Niall says, taking the headphones off and heading to the door.

Rami turns to Harry and says, “We’re going to have you sing this solo, okay? Niall doesn’t seem to be getting it.”

Niall comes out when he says it, so Harry _knows_ he hears it, but he doesn’t look bothered. “Yeah, I can’t seem to hit some of those notes, I guess,” he says, running a hand through his hair. It’s not styled, since they’re just in the studio, so it looks soft. Harry wants to run his fingers through it, but that’s for later.

“Just give him more time. He’ll get it,” he says, stubborn. They’ve definitely let Harry do upwards of twenty takes just to get one line right, before. They can let Niall have his chance.

“Nah, just go in there,” Niall tells him. He steps up next to Harry, bumping their hips together. “You’ll sound better there than me, I think.” 

Harry frowns. “No way. That’s your part. You should sing it.”

“You’re sweet.” Niall’s smiling and he wraps his arm around Harry’s neck to pull him in for a sideways hug. “But Rami’s getting impatient. Just go in there. I wanna break for lunch soon.”

So of course, Harry goes into the booth and sings a couple takes of the solo that shouldn’t be his, and Rami likes it and says they’re keeping it, but Harry is distracted and frustrated and confused.

Why wouldn’t Niall want to fight for it? His voice is _brilliant_ , Harry’s always thought so. Has _told_ him so, on more than one occasion. So why wouldn’t he want to make sure he got to keep it on the album?

Harry finally gets up the courage to ask him, later, when they’re all at Liam’s flat for a night of xFactor and drinks. Niall is in the kitchen, putting together an amazingly huge sandwich, even by his standards, and Harry is nursing a flat beer.

“Hm?” Niall asks, going to the fridge and getting out mustard. “Oh, I dunno. I’ve got loads of other times on the album. Who cares if I miss that one?” 

Harry wants to say _I care_ , but it might be annoying to be upset about something that Niall so clearly isn’t. So he stays quiet and gently moves Niall away from his sandwich, going into the refrigerator to get the quality stuff Liam tries to hide from them whenever they come around. Niall makes a delighted face and gives Harry a smacking kiss to his cheek for his trouble.

+

1\. 

Niall and Josh are backstage messing about with skateboards while the rest of the boys play a pickup game of footie. He keeps one eye on them, smiling when Harry screeches and tackles Liam to the concrete, even though it looks a bit like it hurts. Liam shouts and they start wrestling while Louis and Zayn continue kicking the ball to one another.

“Hey, I heard they’re thinking of hiring another touring guitarist,” Josh says, trying to kickflip his board. He’s largely unsuccessful at it, since neither of them are actually any good at skateboarding. That’s more Zayn’s thing, really.

“Why?” Niall asks. He has his board under one foot, idly rolling it back and forth. He hasn’t heard anything about getting another guitarist. That would make the stage awfully full, though. Not to mention the buses.

“Dunno.” Josh stops trying to flip his board and just stands there, one foot on and one foot off. “You know no one ever tells me anything. You should ask Paul.”

Niall nods and they continue to fuck around on their boards until Harry’s hoarse shouts alert them to the fact that Liam, Louis and Zayn have ganged up on him in their play fight. Niall decides he has to go defend Harry’s honor and dives headfirst into the pile.

He puts the thought out of his mind until later that night, when they’re in their dressing room waiting for their time to go on stage. Paul is on his computer, typing out an email to someone about something that’s undoubtedly important, so Niall waits until he hits send and closes the laptop to go bother him.

“Hey Paul, a word?”

Paul looks up and for a second, he looks weary and a little bit like he knows what Niall is going to say, but that clears away and is replaced by the fond, exasperated look Paul nearly always has for them. “Sure, Niall. What’s up?”

Niall sits down on the couch next to him and thinks very carefully about what he’s going to say before he actually does. “I heard something about maybe getting another guitarist for tour. You know anything about that?” he asks, fiddling with the bracelets on his right wrist.

“Yeah,” Paul says. He takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly, like he’s trying to prepare himself. “There’s been some talk about getting you out from behind your guitar. More involved with the stage show. So another guitarist would be necessary to fill in for your parts.”

“Oh.” Niall takes that in for a bit. He watches Zayn and Harry curled up on the other couch, looking at something on Zayn’s phone. He knows Liam and Louis are in the bathroom doing vocal warm-ups for a bit. His acoustic is in the corner where he left it after rehearsals. He turns back to Paul and knows he’s frowning. “Yeah, I’m not okay with that?”

Something crosses over Paul’s face that Niall can’t really identify. “I figured you wouldn’t be,” he says.

“Is there anything you can do to convince them not to? I don’t...I don’t want to give that up.” Niall feels so much more comfortable behind his guitar on stage. It’s part of why he loves being able to do this--to play music as well as sing. He can’t lose that. He won’t. He’ll fight tooth and nail for this one thing; this one thing he won’t let them take away from him.

Paul claps his hand over Niall’s thigh, startling him enough that he jumps. “I’m doing all I can to make sure it doesn’t happen, Niall. Trust me with this one, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Niall knows Paul will do whatever he can to help him out with this. Paul has his back. “Thanks,” he says, patting Paul’s hand. He gets up and goes to join Zayn and Harry on the other couch, ignoring their questions about his _serious talk with Paul, c’mon, tell us, you looked so brooding_. They don’t need to know about things that’ll just upset them. If something happens and he has to tell them, he will. 

But for now, he’ll just enjoy them being nosy twats trying to get into his business. The rest comes later.

=

1.

Niall wakes up late on Sunday, wrapped around Zayn, sun coming in through the window. He looks blearily at the clock on the bedside table and it reads 12:24. It’s later than he’s usually let to sleep on the weekends; generally one of the boys have gotten him up by now with their loud ruckus.

“Hey,” he says softly, running his finger over the bridge of Zayn’s nose. “Wake up. It’s noon.”

Zayn’s nose scrunches under the touch but he eventually opens his eyes. “Don’t wanna get up,” he mumbles. 

“Too bad. If you stay sleeping, you won’t get to bed tonight and then you’ll just be exhausted tomorrow when we have to do things,” Niall tells him. He sits up, runs a hand through his hair and tries to stifle a yawn.

“Yeah, okay _mum_ ,” Zayn says. He stretches, gets up, and looks around the room sadly. “No tea? Why’d you wake me up before tea?”

Niall laughs. “Get your own tea, lazy. M’not actually your mum.” 

Zayn slouches out of bed, gets on a jumper and a loose pair of jogging bottoms and leaves the room, still grumbling about tea. After he’s gone, Niall sighs and makes like a starfish across the bedding, reveling in the warm spot Zayn’s left him. He’s not going to go back to sleep, but it is nice to be able to just lie there for a few moment before he has to face the day.

His quiet comfort is broken by Zayn shouting, “Oi! If I have to be up and about, Horan, so do you! Don’t make me come in there with the water pitcher!”

“Shut yer gob Malik, I do what I want!” he shouts back, but gets up anyways. He’s hungry and no amount of comfort from any warm bed will keep him from filling his stomach in a timely manner. He pulls on a warm jumper that’s probably Liam’s and some jogging bottoms that are _definitely_ Harry’s and goes out into the kitchen. “Oh, hey, you’re all up,” he says as soon as he sees the other boys at the kitchen table.

“Yup. We were waiting for you to get up.” Harry stands from his place at the table and trots over to Niall, grabbing his hand and tugging him over to sit in his vacated seat. “Here’s your tea and we got Nandos while you were asleep. Extra large order of peri chips as well.”

Niall takes a sip of his tea and looks at his boys, gazing at him happily. “Why’re you being so nice?” he asks suspiciously, setting his mug down. “Have we gotten bad news? Are one of you lot dying? Am _I_ dying?”

Zayn comes up behind him and wraps his arms around his shoulders, hugging him loosely. “‘Course not. It’s just that today is about you.”

“We’ve got Derby County’s last match recorded for you and Liam went out to buy supplies for your favourite meal tonight,” Louis says, stirring his tea slowly. He doesn’t look the least bit mischievous, so Niall can almost trust him.

“I thought Nandos was my favourite?” he asks.

Harry sets down a plate in front of him with his usual order from Nandos. “I called your mum, she gave me some recipes. Let me know when you want to switch to pints, okay?”

Niall squints at them all, as if that’ll tell him what they’re up to. “So you’re all content to just...hang out and do stuff I like today?” 

“Don’t be dumb, of course we want to do things you like with you,” Liam says. He’s smiling, though, so Niall knows he’s not being harsh with his words.

“Okay, then,” he says, starting to dig into his wrap. If the boys want to watch him eat, he won’t stop them, but there’s definitely nothing that’s going to stop _him_ from eating his fill. His stomach is far too empty to deal with feelings and sentimentality.

Eventually, they stop watching him so oddly and dig into their own food. Zayn settles himself down onto the seat next to Niall and picks at his chips, and even though Niall hates it usually, he doesn’t mind when Zayn does it. He’s too skinny by half, so Niall always lets him sneak food when he can.

When he finishes his food, Harry pulls him up by his hands. “Hey, come have a cuddle while Louis and Liam play FIFA and then I’ll start cooking, okay?” 

Niall watches as Zayn picks up the empty plates from the table and brings them to the kitchen. “Yeah, that sounds alright then. Will I get to have a turn?”

“We’re competing to see who gets to play you!” Louis shouts, already concentrating on the game. His tongue is stuck out of the corner of his mouth. They’re both sat on the floor, far too close to the screen to be good for their eyes.

Harry gets them situated on the couch with Niall pressed against the back, curled around Harry even though it means he’s sort of scrunched up. They know how much he likes being the big spoon, even though he’s technically shorter than most of them. It’s nice that they remember. 

He watches the game for a few minutes, absentmindedly rubbing Harry’s belly with one hand. Zayn ends up joining them, lifting their legs and sliding underneath before lowering them into his lap and holding on tightly. He tickles the pad of Niall’s foot when he notices him looking, smiles wide.

Niall goes back to watching the game, then says, when there’s a lull in the noise, “Thanks. Love you guys.”

Zayn squeezes his ankle and Harry runs his knuckles over Niall’s hand. Louis looks over his shoulder and smiles and Liam pauses the game.

“Love you, too, Nialler,” he says. “Always.”

And yeah, maybe sometimes shitty things happen to Niall, but he doesn’t let it get to him, doesn’t let it get him down. Because he has these four boys with him, always.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Christmas, Clo


End file.
